castle rackrent-第12部分

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CONTINUATION　OF　THE　MEMOIRS　OF　THE　RACKRENT　FAMILY

HISTORY　OF　SIR　CONOLLY　RACKRENT

Sir　Condy　Rackrent；　by　the　grace　of　God　heir…at…law　to　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate；　was　a　remote　branch　of　the　family。　　Born　to　little　or　no　fortune　of　his　own；　he　was　bred　to　the　bar；　at　which；　having　many　friends　to　push　him　and　no　mean　natural　abilities　of　his　own；　he　doubtless　would　in　process　of　time；　if　he　could　have　borne　the　drudgery　of　that　study；　have　been　rapidly　made　King's　Counsel　at　the　least；　but　things　were　disposed　of　otherwise；　and　he　never　went　the　circuit　but　twice；　and　then　made　no　figure　for　want　of　a　fee；　and　being　unable　to　speak　in　public。　He　received　his　education　chiefly　in　the　college　of　Dublin；　but　before　he　came　to　years　of　discretion　lived　in　the　country；　in　a　small　but　slated　house　within　view　of　the　end　of　the　avenue。　　I　remember　him；　bare　footed　and　headed；　running　through　the　street　of　O'Shaughlin's　Town；　and　playing　at　pitch…and…toss；　ball；　marbles；　and　what　not；　with　the　boys　of　the　town；　amongst　whom　my　son　Jason　was　a　great　favourite　with　him。　　As　for　me；　he　was　ever　my　white…headed　boy：　often's　the　time；　when　I　would　call　in　at　his　father's；　where　I　was　always　made　welcome；　he　would　slip　down　to　me　in　the　kitchen；　and；　love　to　sit　on　my　knee　whilst　I　told　him　stories　of　the　family　and　the　blood　from　which　he　was　sprung；　and　how　he　might　look　forward；　if　the　then　present　man　should　die　without　childer；　to　being　at　the　head　of　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate。　This　was　then　spoke　quite　and　clear　at　random　to　please　the　child；　but　it　pleased　Heaven　to　accomplish　my　prophecy　afterwards；　which　gave　him　a　great　opinion　of　my　judgment　in　business。　　He　went　to　a　little　grammar…school　with　many　others；　and　my　son　amongst　the　rest；　who　was　in　his　class；　and　not　a　little　useful　to　him　in　his　book…learning；　which　he　acknowledged　with　gratitude　ever　after。　　These　rudiments　of　his　education　thus　completed；　he　got　a…horseback；　to　which　exercise　he　was　ever　addicted；　and　used　to　gallop　over　the　country　while　yet　but　a　slip　of　a　boy；　under　the　care　of　Sir　Kit's　huntsman；　who　was　very　fond　of　him；　and　often　lent　him　his　gun；　and　took　him　out　a…shooting　under　his　own　eye。　　By　these　means　he　became　well　acquainted　and　popular　amongst　the　poor　in　the　neighbourhood　early；　for　there　was　not　a　cabin　at　which　he　had　not　stopped　some　morning　or　other；　along　with　the　huntsman；　to　drink　a　glass　of　burnt　whisky　out　of　an　eggshell；　to　do　him　good　and　warm　his　heart　and　drive　the　cold　out　of　his　stomach。　　The　old　people　always　told　him　he　was　a　great　likeness　of　Sir　Patrick；　which　made　him　first　have　an　ambition　to　take　after　him；　as　far　as　his　fortune　should　allow。　　He　left　us　when　of　an　age　to　enter　the　college；　and　there　completed　his　education　and　nineteenth　year；　for　as　he　was　not　born　to　an　estate；　his　friends　thought　it　incumbent　on　them　to　give　him　the　best　education　which　could　be　had　for　love　or　money；　and　a　great　deal　of　money　consequently　was　spent　upon　him　at　College　and　Temple。　　He　was　a　very　little　altered　for　the　worse　by　what　he　saw　there　of　the　great　world；　for　when　he　came　down　into　the　country　to　pay　us　a　visit；　we　thought　him　just　the　same　man　as　everhand　and　glove　with　every　one；　and　as　far　from　high；　though　not　without　his　own　proper　share　of　family　pride；　as　any　man　ever　you　see。　　Latterly；　seeing　how　Sir　Kit　and　the　Jewish　lived　together；　and　that　there　was　no　one　between　him　and　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate；　he　neglected　to　apply　to　the　law　as　much　as　was　expected　of　him；　and　secretly　many　of　the　tenants　and　others　advanced　him　cash　upon　his　note　of　hand　value　received；　promising　bargains　of　leases　and　lawful　interest；　should　he　ever　come　into　the　estate。　　All　this　was　kept　a　great　secret　for　fear　the　present　man；　hearing　of　it；　should　take　it　into　his　head　to　take　it　ill　of　poor　Condy；　and　so　should　cut　him　off　for　ever　by　levying　a　fine；　and　suffering　a　recovery　to　dock　the　entail　＇See　GLOSSARY　24＇。　　Sir　Murtagh　would　have　been　the　man　for　that；　but　Sir　Kit　was　too　much　taken　up　philandering　to　consider　the　law　in　this　case；　or　any　other。　These　practices　I　have　mentioned　to　account　for　the　state　of　his　affairsI　mean　Sir　Condy's　upon　his　coming　into　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate。　　He　could　not　command　a　penny　of　his　first　year's　income；　which；　and　keeping　no　accounts；　and　the　great　sight　of　company　he　did；　with　many　other　causes　too　numerous　to　mention；　was　the　origin　of　his　distresses。　　My　son　Jason；　who　was　now　established　agent；　and　knew　everything；　explained　matters　out　of　the　face　to　Sir　Conolly；　and　made　him　sensible　of　his　embarrassed　situation。　　With　a　great　nominal　rent…roll；　it　was　almost　all　paid　away　in　interest；　which　being　for　convenience　suffered　to　run　on；　soon　doubled　the　principal；　and　Sir　Condy　was　obliged　to　pass　new　bonds　for　the　interest；　now　grown　principal；　and　so　on。　　Whilst　this　was　going　on；　my　son　requiring　to　be　paid　for　his　trouble　and　many　years'　service　in　the　family　gratis；　and　Sir　Condy　not　willing　to　take　his　affairs　into　his　own　hands；　or　to　look　them　even　in　the　face；　he　gave　my　son　a　bargain　of　some　acres　which　fell　out　of　lease　at　a　reasonable　rent。　　Jason　set　the　land；　as　soon　as　his　lease　was　sealed；　to　under…tenants；　to　make　the　rent；　and　got　two　hundred　a　year　profit　rent；　which　was　little　enough　considering　his　long　agency。　　He　bought　the　land　at　twelve　years'　purchase　two　years　afterwards；　when　Sir　Condy　was　pushed　for　money　on　an　execution；　and　was　at　the　same　time　allowed　for　his　improvements　thereon。　　There　was　a　sort　of　hunting…lodge　upon　the　estate；　convenient　to　my　son　Jason's　land；　which　he　had　his　eye　upon　about　this　time；　and　he　was　a　little　jealous　of　Sir　Condy；　who　talked　of　setting　it　to　a　stranger　who　was　just　come　into　the　countryCaptain　Moneygawl　was　the　man。　He　was　son　and　heir　to　the　Moneygawls　of　Mount　Juliet's　Town；　who　had　a　great　estate　in　the　next　county　to　ours；　and　my　master　was　loth　to　disoblige　the　young　gentleman；　whose　heart　was　set　upon　the　Lodge；　so　he　wrote　him　back　that　the　Lodge　was　at　his　service；　and　if　he　would　honour　him　with　his　company　at　Castle　Rackrent；　they　could　ride　over　together　some　morning　and　look　at　it　before　signing　the　lease。　　Accordingly；　the　captain　came　over　to　us；　and　he　and　Sir　Condy　grew　the　greatest　friends　ever　you　see；　and　were　for　ever　out　a…shooting　or　hunting　together；　and　were　very　merry　in　the　evenings；　and　Sir　Condy　was　invited　of　course　to　Mount　Juliet's　Town；　and　the　family　intimacy　that　had　been　in　Sir　Patrick's　time　was　now　recollected；　and　nothing　would　serve　Sir　Condy　but　he　must　be　three　times　a　week　at　the　least　with　his　new　friends；　which　grieved　me；　who　knew；　by　the　captain's　groom　and　gentleman；　how　they　talked　of　him　at　Mount　Juliet's　Town；　making　him　quite；　as　one　may　say；　a　laughing…stock　and　a　butt　for　the　whole　company；　but　they　were　soon　cured　of　that　by　an　accident　that　surprised　'em　not　a　little；　as　it　did　me。　　There　was　a　bit　of　a　scrawl　found　upon　the　waiting…maid　of　old　Mr。　Moneygawl's　youngest　daughter；　Miss　Isabella；　that　laid　open　the　whole；　and　her　father；　they　say；　was　like　one　out　of　his　right　mind；　and　swore　it　was　the　last　thing　he　ever　should　have　thought　of；　when　he　invited　my　master　to　his　house；　that　his　daughter　should　think　of　such　a　match。　　But　their　talk　signified　not　a　straw；　for　as　Miss　Isabella's　maid　reported；　her　young　mistress　was　fallen　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　Sir　Condy　from　the　first　time　that　ever　her　brother　brought　him　into　the　house　to　dinner。　　The　servant　who　waited　that　day　behind　my　master's　chair　was　the　first　who　knew　it；　as　he　says；　though　it's　hard　to　believe　him；　for　he　did　not　tell　it　till　a　great　while　afterwards；　but；　however；　it's　likely　enough；　as　the　thing　turned　out；　that　he　was　not　far　out　of　the　way；　for　towards　the　middle　of　dinner；　as　he　says；　they　were　talking　of　stage…plays；　having　a　playhouse；　and　being　great　play…actors　at　Mount　Juliet's　Town；　and　Miss　Isabella　turns　short　to　my　master；　and　says：

'Have　you　seen　the　play…bill；　Sir　Condy？'

'No；　I　have　not；'　said　he。

'Then　more　shame　for　you；'　said　the　captain　her　brother；　'not　to　know　that　my　sister　is　to　play　Juliet　to…night；　who　plays　it　better　than　any　woman　on　or　off　the　stage　in　all　Ireland。'

'I　am　very　happy　to　hear　it；'　said　Sir　Condy；　and　there　the　matter　dropped　for　the　present。

But　Sir　Condy　all　this　time；　and　a　great　while　afterwards；　was　at　a　terrible　nonplus；　for　he　had　no　liking；　not　he；　to　stage…plays；　nor　to　Miss　Isabella　eitherto　his　mind；　as　it　came　out　over　a　bowl　of　whisky…punch　at　home；　his　little　Judy　M'Quirk；　who　was　daughter　to　a　sister's　son　of　mine；　was　worth　twenty　of　Miss　Isabella。　　He　had　seen　her　often　when　he　stopped　at　her　father's　cabin　to　drink　whisky　out　of　the　eggshell；　out　hunting；　before　he　came　to　the　estate；　and；　as　she　gave　out；　was　under　something　like　a　promise　of　marriage　to　her。　　Anyhow；　I　could　not　but　pity　my　poor　master；　who　was　so　bothered　between　them；　and　he　an　easy…　hearted　man；　that　could　not　disoblige　nobodyGod　bless　him！　　To　be　sure；　it　was　not　his　place　to　behave　ungenerous　to　Miss　Isabella；　who　had　disobliged　all　her　relations　for　his　sake；　as　he　remarked；　and　then　she　was　locked　up　in　her　chamber；　and　forbid　to　think　of　him　any　more；　which　raised　his　spirit；　because　his　family　was；　as　he　observed；　as　good　as　theirs　at　any　rate；　and　the　Rackrents　a　suitable　match　for　the　Moneygawls　any　day　in　the　year；　all　which　was　true　enough。　　But　it　grieved　me　to　see　that；　upon　the　strength　of　all　this；　Sir　Condy　was　growing　more　in　the　mind　to　carry　off　Miss　Isabella　to　Scotland；　in　spite　of　her　relations；　as　she　desired。

'It's　all　over　with　our　poor　Judy！'　　said　I；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　making　bold　to　speak　to　him　one　night　when　he　was　a　little　cheerful；　and　standing　in　the　servants'　hall　all　alone　with　me　as　was　often　his　custom。

'Not　at　all；'　said　he；　'I　never　was　fonder　of　Judy　than　at　this　present　speaking；　and　to　prove　it　to　you；'　said　heand　he　took　from　my　hand　a　halfpenny　change　that　I　had　just　got　along　with　my　tobacco'and　to　prove　it　to　you；　Thady；'　says　he；　'it's　a　toss…　up　with　me　which　I　should　marry　this　minute；　her　or　Mr。　Moneygawl　of　Mount　Juliet's　Town's　daughterso　it　is。'

Oh…boo！　boo！'　＇Boo！　Boo！an　exclamat